A new dawn for America

Mr Obama has been gracious in victory as his Republican opponent, John McCain, has been ­gracious in defeat. But no one should doubt the scale of this victory. The Democrat won almost all the battleground states, including for example Indiana, which George W Bush took by 20 percentage points in 2004, and Virginia, which has not voted for a Democratic president since 1964.

There is of course triumphalism among Democrats but Mr Obama has, in his eloquent victory speech, reached out to those who did not vote for him, saying that he intended to be their president too. That bid for national unity is the right move. And indeed, the popular vote in this election was closer than the state declarations for the candidates suggest, with an estimated 52 per cent going to Mr Obama and 46 per cent for Mr McCain. It has been a tight contest, even though in the votes that took place at the same time for the Senate and House of Representatives, there has been a decisive shift to the Democrats.

Perhaps the most optimistic element has been the extent to which it galvanised parts of the electorate which have rarely been persuaded before to vote. The turnout has been remarkable, unprecedented in some areas. This may be partly because many black Americans had a candidate with whom they could finally identify, partly because of the sheer excitement of the contest and the strength of the candidates, partly because of the extraordinary sums spent on the campaign — as much as a billion dollars overall. Further, the campaign has been fought differently from others before it, with many voters reached by internet and text as well as through conventional methods. A good turnout — in this case, an estimated 130 million people, the highest since 1960, voted — is a sign of a healthy democracy.

Most of the electors leaving the polls said that their primary concern in voting had been the economy — nine in 10 said they were not primarily motivated by considerations of race or age. And that is a reminder of the challenge that Mr Obama faces once he takes office in January: a continuing economic and financial crisis, as well as two ruinously expensive and divisive wars. The legacy he inherits from Mr Bush is unenviable.

Yet America today is justified in feeling that all things are possible. This victory may well lead to a more cohesive nation with greater ease between its races as a result of the Obama victory, and a nation that is hopeful and optimistic is one that can vigorously engage with economic challenges. Mr Obama has made a point in his campaign of presenting himself as a unity candidate, a president for diverse ethnic and social groups, and his victory speech seems to confirm that he will continue to attempt to represent all Americans. It is in the interest of the United States' friends and allies that he succeeds.

And celebrating...

BONFIRE NIGHT. Collecting pennies for the guy may have been upstaged by Halloween trick or treating but public firework displays have become a bigger and bigger feature of London life. The season got under way last weekend, and tonight's event on Clapham Common is expected to attract 100,000 people. Many enjoy the historical resonance of an event that is all about Parliament's escape from a 17th-century act of political and religious rebellion, while others simply like the dramatic impact of coloured light and sparks against the sky. Either way, it is a justly popular public celebration - and some of the displays are even free.